National Geographic May Have Apologised, But The Subtle Cultural Racism Survives
Every one seems thrilled by the admission of racism by National Geographic in its coverage of cultures, communities and peoples other than the Western culture. Many Indians have hailed this as a great testimony to the self-evaluating, path-correcting Western tradition. But what we do not understand is that the West never goes for course correction unless and otherwise it can afford the course correction in terms of economics and politics.
Consider the case of slavery abolition in Britain.
In the abolition of British African slave system, the abolitionist propaganda was supported by clear economic reasoning. While charismatic evangelists like William Wilberforce were leading their charge against slave trade in British House of Commons, indentured labour from India on a mass scale was making sure that produce, products and infrastructure could be built much cheaper than through slavery. It was not an accident that James Cropper with East India Company had written a letter to William Wilberforce before the latter started his ‘crusade’ on slavery – though Wilberforce never spoke much of that economic advantage when he championed the abolition.
Consider the case of slavery abolition in Britain. In the abolition of British African slave system, the abolitionist propaganda was supported by clear economic reasoning. While charismatic evangelists like William Wilberforce were leading their charge against slave trade in British House of Commons, indentured labour from India on a mass scale was making sure that produce, products and infrastructure could be built much cheaper than through slavery. It was not an accident that James Cropper with East India Company had written a letter to William Wilberforce before the latter started his ‘crusade’ on slavery – though Wilberforce never spoke much of that economic advantage when he championed the abolition. the abolition